


Pieces

by Sid45ultra



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Depressing, Graphic, Major character death - Freeform, Sad, Short, unbetaed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-09-20 21:55:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9517781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sid45ultra/pseuds/Sid45ultra
Summary: The aftermath of the final battle for Earth. Some casualties are more destructive than any Reaper.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this some time ago when I was struggling with severe depression. I wrote this to get some of that emotion out. I never expected to publish it, but here you go.

It took them four days to find Shepard's body. After the Reapers had been destroyed by the Crucible all efforts turned to search and rescue. The crew of the Normandy headed the efforts at what had in the course of a few days, come to be known as Shepard's Stand. They found Anderson first, he'd been burned nearly beyond recognition, only his dog tags giving his identity. They'd been partially melted to his uniform and chest keeping them in place after the Citadel had exploded. They weren't sure how his body had survived reentry, but it and several hundred others had rained down among burning pieces of the once mighty station. Many of the bodies were mangled beyond recognition, while others were in relatively good condition, they were all however dead. Not a single soldier had walked out of Shepard's Stand except for those who had been air lifted out before Shepard made her final assault. No one said it, but the air was grim as the Normandy Crew searched with mounting tension for survivors and their Commander.   
Garrus was the one to find her body, everyone within earshot would carry the sound of his anguished screams to their graves. Kaidan found the Turian cradling what was left of her, face turned down, fingers gently stroking her cheek. At the sight something broke in Kaidan and he fell to his knees, numbness spreading from his heart outwards. He watched as Garrus rocked the corpse, missing an arm and half buried under debris. It took him a moment to realize that she wasn't actually buried, her upper torso just stopped, blood soaking the dust and rubble around her. Garrus suddenly screamed again, turning his head up and releasing a sound of such primal despair Kaidan felt it in his bones. He saw tears streaking over the various ridges and flares of Garrus's face and an odd thought struck him, "So, Turians really can cry."


End file.
